How they are remembered...
Legacy
Author: bsdonovan
bsdonovan.wordpress.com
Cursive
I don't usually write with a cursive style with kanji. In my shodo society, they want you to know the basics first. Makes sense. Sensei does an annual art show at the local bank. This year, I'm contributing the following. Since it's not the regular submission, I can do whatever I want. And I wanted … Continue reading Cursive
Reflections of an Early Spring Journey in ChangAn
Most of the kanji we practice in my shodo society comes from Chinese poetry. Sometimes it's obscure and indecipherable, others it's pretty straightforward. Most of the time, I just write it and try hard to make it pretty. Hey, that's the idea, right? But this month, I looked into the origins. This month is from … Continue reading Reflections of an Early Spring Journey in ChangAn
Japan is Awesome – Mascots
Japan loves mascots. I suspect that it might be Disney where the phenomenon started, but I have nothing to back that up. The only places that I see mascots where I'm from, Boston, Mass., is for sports teams and Disney. You take pictures with the mascot because you want to remember your association with the … Continue reading Japan is Awesome – Mascots
Book Review – Claws of the Cat
Book Review - Claws of the Cat By Susan Spann About six months back, I joined the Japan Writers Conference, an annual event that attracts a lot of academics, intellectuals, and amazingly creative people. They also let anyone join, and it's free, so that explains why they let me in. There, I had the pleasure … Continue reading Book Review – Claws of the Cat
Tribe
Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging by Sebastian Junger Tribe is about how disconnected people people feel. How disconnected we are from society. The book suggests that people are happier-- and saner-- if we live in close knit groups. The examples that stand out are PTSD sufferers. Junger suggests that if veterans (in this case) felt … Continue reading Tribe
April Shodo
The pressure is on. Now that I'm 1kyu, I'm worried I can keep the same level of quality. The below ain't bad but is it 1kyu ? Same here for 3kyu in kanji.
Published
You can now buy the anthology, or pre-order it anyway. You know, the one with my story in it? First off, if you didn't hear me the first time, thank you to those who supported me. A little over a year ago, I wrote a short story and shared it with good friends. I also … Continue reading Published
Results
I'm starting to think that I should have taken these leveling tests a long time ago. The monthly grind is good, but progress is gradual. Then I take this test and Bam! 2 levels, or 3. Kana has been my strong suit all along, much to my surprise, and this time is no exception. I … Continue reading Results
Book Review – The Atrocity Files
Book Review -The Atrocity Files by Charles Stross To Begin - Non-Review Navel Gazing I'm late to the party, but I don't let that bother me. I'm reading fiction from the 70's and loving it. So it should come as no surprise to me that I am behind the curve on a lot of fiction. … Continue reading Book Review – The Atrocity Files
B.S. Donovan 